Hard-nosed chairman of ESL Investments merged Kmart with Sears, Roebuck in November, capping one of the greatest corporate comebacks in history. Lawyer's son inspired by grandmother, devoted viewer of Wall Street Week; spent spare time in high school reading corporate reports, financial textbooks. Skull & Bones member at Yale; landed job at Goldman Sachs, mentored by Robert Rubin. Founded own firm in 1988. Snagged early investment from Richard Rainwater: "Eddie is the single best investing mind in the world today." Other Forbes 400 clients: Michael Dell, David Geffen, Tisch family, Ziff brothers.